About AAF New Mexico

With a passion for New Mexico’s creative industries, Jaydon is excited to bring together our advertising community to drive excellence and foster camaraderie. As Senior Art Director + Designer at k²md, Jaydon brings a passion for creativity in efficient and effective communication. You can catch Jaydon watching the Sopranos for the 500th time, searching the internet for a vintage Land Rover, or getting wonderfully lost in the mountains.

Gabe is proud to serve in an advisory capacity for AAFNM. As Strategy + Partnerships Manager at leading communications firm SUNNY505, Gabe brings strategic communication expertise and data technology savviness to help organizations tackle their biggest challenges. Previously, he worked as a political media consultant, helping political campaigns and organizations navigate digital media strategy. In his spare time, you’ll find Gabe going for the win on his road bike, listening to podcasts, and reading business news.

Maria is Associate Creative Director + Copywriter at k²md. She has 15 years of experience in branding and creating stuff in advertising agencies. Her work has been recognized locally and nationally by the American Advertising Federation and The One Club for Creativity and published in Communication Arts. She is fascinated by death care and knows exactly how her funeral will be arranged, is an amateur spider conservationist, plays drums in a bona fide mom band, and meditates by snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains. She lives in Albuquerque with her husband and their various species of children.

As an Account Supervisor at 3 Advertising, Melinda Bucher brings extensive experience in brand strategy and account service, working with statewide, national, and international brands. Since 2018, Melinda has been an active member of AAFNM, dedicated to advancing and promoting the local advertising community. A graduate of UNM’s Anderson School, she loves calling New Mexico home. In her spare time, Melinda enjoys playing sand volleyball, hanging out with her two dogs, and carving bars of soap into small gladiator figurines. One of these things may not be true.

Kristin Garcia serves in her second year after serving as ADDYs Chair. Kristin is a Project Manager with McKee Wallwork. Previously, she worked as a client success manager and marketing director for prominent Albuquerque businesses. Kristin draws her passion for community and philanthropy from a background in the nonprofit sector. She has extensive experience in fundraising, working with Special Olympics New Mexico, the YMCA of Central New Mexico, the National Institute of Flamenco, and the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation. Kristin is also a certified Reiki Master, uncertified Lord of the Rings superfan, and volunteer Gruet taste tester.

Richard is an acclaimed director known worldwide for his commercial and music video creation. His projects have garnered awards at Cannes Saatchi’s New Director Showcase, the MTV Music Awards, Malibu International Film Festival, and London Film Festival. After moving to New Mexico in 2020 to be closer to family, Richard co-founded Inspirado, a film production company driven by creativity and community, and dedicated to fostering new talent and enriching the local film scene. When Richard isn’t creating or connecting people, you may find him fly fishing or on the slopes when he’s not DJing or making noise with old synthesizers.

Gabby O’Keefe is Producer and Project Manager at Lavendr, where she organizes large-scale video advertising campaigns and oversees all on-set logistics. A lifelong New Mexican and graduate of the University of New Mexico, Gabby has built a foundation in effective communication and project management. She has a passion for bringing innovative ideas to life in the creative field. Gabby is committed to youth advocacy, serving on the board of the National Organization for Youth Safety. In her free time, she explores the world through her camera lens, explores the mountains by skiing and hiking, and embraces every new adventure with enthusiasm.

As owner and co-founder of The Digital Opportunists, Lexi lends her expertise as a fractional CMO and growth consultant. Lexi is driven by a mission to help businesses grow and thrive in the digital age, and delivers cutting-edge, data-driven solutions for e-commerce and SaaS companies. This empowers her to maximize her clients’ marketing budgets and provide innovative, customer-focused strategies that ensure measurable and meaningful growth. If she’s not optimizing strategies, you can find Lexi in the mountains, scuba diving, or boarding a plane to her next adventure.

Both Account Executive for the online restaurant marketing platform, SpotHopper, and co-owner of Owl Café in Albuquerque, Val specializes in connecting New Mexico’s vibrant restaurant scene with personalized marketing to bring out each business’s unique culinary heritage and local spirit. Val strives to build genuine relationships with co-workers and clients, find a balance between listening and guiding, and above all, be passionate about what she does.

With over a decade of experience in digital advertising, Iris has spent the last six years as the Digital Sales Manager at KOAT-7, where she collaborates on advertising campaigns with a wide range of both small and large businesses. Iris also serves on the board of Imagine, ABQ, a nonprofit organization dedicated to beautifying Albuquerque, furthering her commitment to elevating her community. She’s serious about business but seriously fun too, so you’ll also find her traveling the world, snuggling with her husky mix, and binging reality TV (no judgement here).

A native New Mexican and UNM graduate, Laurene left her job in corporate advertising seven years ago to launch her own digital agency, Mariposa Marketing. Through her agency, she is proud to partner with Meta’s Career Connections to train over 500 social media managers nationwide. She is passionate about the work she does and considers it a privilege to serve the business community of New Mexico. When Laurene isn’t sitting at the helm of her own business, she’s whispering sweet nothings to her plants, making memories with her five kids, or hitting the gym.

Samantha is Business Development Manager at Nilson Advertising Management & Entertainment (N.A.M.E.) She is passionate about giving back to her community and enjoys serving on the board for Executive Women International (EWI). This involvement allows her to support and empower women in leadership roles, further enhancing her dedication to excellence both in and out of the office. She looks forward to helping build community within the local advertising industry and building bridges between media, agencies, and creatives by providing her expertise and unique perspective.